[A new classification for congenital hydrocephalus [perspective classification of congenital hydrocephalus (PCCH)] and postnatal prognosis (Part 3). Neuronal maturation process and prognosis in neonatal hydrocephalus].

Seventy cases of neonatal hydrocephalus were analyzed regarding the prognosis using the newly developed concept, namely "Perspective Classification of Congenital Hydrocephalus [PCCH]". The results revealed that the prognosis of premature-neonatal hydrocephalus is not necessarily poor even in the early periods of the neuronal maturation (PCCH Stage- II/III). It was suggested that the major underlying pathophysiological difference between the premature-neonatal and fetal hydrocephalus in the same stage of neuronal maturation is the intracranial pressure dynamics. It was concluded that the fetal hydrocephalus should be treated in the early period of neuronal maturation as the form of neonatal hydrocephalus to avoid the insult of such high intracranial pressure dynamics in utero.